BY SARAH DAVE

NO expense is being spared in the hunt to find a new supremo for Wokingham District Council.

The Wokingham Times can reveal that almost £12,000 has so far been spent on national advertising to find a new chief executive for the unitary authority.

Recruitment advertisements have been taken out in The Guardian, The Observer and Local Government Chronicle at a cost of £11,800 to tempt a high-flyer to become the council's next boss.

Jane Earl, the current chief executive, is leaving the council next Friday (January 31) to spearhead a new Government crime-busting agency.

Ms Earl, who has been chief executive of the district council since 1999, will give up her estimated £90,000 salary for one which is thought to be £130,000 in her new role.

Yesterday (Tuesday) the council said the recruitment process was "cost-effective" and remained tight-lipped on who may be in the running.

A council spokesman said: "We've had a fair bit of interest but we wouldn't go into details of who applied because this is confidential information.

"But it has prompted a significant level of interest so far, particularly on the council website's vacancies pages.

"We have gone to great effort to manage the recruitment process in the most cost-effective way with the in-house personnel team conducting a great deal of work themselves to make cost savings for the council.

"It is important to recruit the best candidate possible in order to get the best for the people of the Wokingham district.

"The person who ultimately takes on the role of chief executive will be the paid officer responsible for each service that the council provides to its residents."

Ms Earl will be taking the reigns as director of the Home Office's new Criminal Assets Recovery Agency on February 1, heading up work on confiscating cash and other assets from criminals to fund grass roots community projects across the UK.

While the recruitment process is taking place, Andy Roberts, currently director of education and cultural services, will carry on as acting chief executive.